Here in upstate NY we get temps as low as -30 F. I don't have heat in my coops & have never lost a bird to the cold. They're a lot hardier than people think. Remember, they have down coats.

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x2. Bluemuse, I'm in western MN, and do not heat my coops. As long as they're well-ventilated and draft-free, they'll be in good shape. We put lots of straw down, and make sure they always have water available. I use a heated dog dish for my chickens in the winter. Some people put gallon ice-cream buckets in the dog dish for easier cleaning, I just put the water right in the dish. When it gets really, really cold (as in double-digits below zero) I keep the pop door shut since the coop is plenty big enough for them to be comfortable. Your chickens will be fine.

I'm in MN, too! Hello gals! I just bought a heated based and metal double wall waterer to make sure the water doesn't freeze. I think I might put petroleum jelly on the combs of a few of my chickens, the ones with the large single comb at least. I laid down a lot more straw and closed up their windows. I also changed up their food a bit, from the regular stuff to adding chicken scratch and a scratch block thing. That's all so far. Not sure what else I will be doing. I have 25 chickens in a shed that was converted to a coop, so I hope their body heat will help.

x2. Bluemuse, I'm in western MN, and do not heat my coops. As long as they're well-ventilated and draft-free, they'll be in good shape. We put lots of straw down, and make sure they always have water available. I use a heated dog dish for my chickens in the winter. Some people put gallon ice-cream buckets in the dog dish for easier cleaning, I just put the water right in the dish. When it gets really, really cold (as in double-digits below zero) I keep the pop door shut since the coop is plenty big enough for them to be comfortable. Your chickens will be fine.

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x4 to what Bluemuse and Bobbi-j recommend. I remind myself how ridiculous my grandparents would think it to try to heat a chicken coop here in North central Wisconsin! With that thought in mind, all I do are the basics- some winter ventilation so as to minimize humidity build up; plenty of bedding material for the birds to squat in should their "toesies" get cold; wide enough roost boards so that they can sit atop their feet completely; and calories for fuel to heat their internal furnaces; and lastly, but certainly not leastly, liquid water available at all times.

I also have Buff Orpingtons and Plymouth Rocks and other hardy breeds, so I can understand the concern about survivability. Remember, chickens are not new inventions and need basic accommodations to survive cold weather.

x2. Bluemuse, I'm in western MN, and do not heat my coops. As long as they're well-ventilated and draft-free, they'll be in good shape. We put lots of straw down, and make sure they always have water available. I use a heated dog dish for my chickens in the winter. Some people put gallon ice-cream buckets in the dog dish for easier cleaning, I just put the water right in the dish. When it gets really, really cold (as in double-digits below zero) I keep the pop door shut since the coop is plenty big enough for them to be comfortable. Your chickens will be fine.

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X2

I let my chickens out to free range when the weather is above 0 or nice and sunny. They are tough birds.